Police fines for disabled spots to rise

Police-issued fines for parking in disability spots are set to come into line with similar fines from council officers. Photo: Glen McCurtayne

Police-issued fines for drivers found parking in a disabled spot without a permit will rise from $44 to $220 across the state before Christmas.

Brisbane City Council officers already have the ability to slap drivers sprung rorting the system with fines up to $220.

But police have not had similar powers.

New laws to be introduced by the Queensland government will make fines from police and the council consistent, Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said.

Although council parking inspectors are largely responsible for monitoring disabled parking zones, police issued more than 5800 tickets to able-bodied drivers found parking illegally between 2008 and 2012.

Parking inspectors from the Fraser Coast and Barcaldine Regional councils have also had the ability to hit drivers parking in a disabled zone without a permit with a maximum fine of $220.

But fines within the Moreton Bay and Gold Coast council areas have been limited to $165 and $150 respectively.

“As councils retain the power to impose set parking laws and fines we see a disparity across Queensland, which is frustrating for motorists and authorities,’’ Mr Emerson said.

“While the changes we have announced will bring our penalties closer to these councils, it is difficult to be completely consistent across the entire state.

‘‘But we would encourage those councils with maximum fines less than $220 to increase their fines so there’s consistency.’’

Mr Emerson said there was ‘‘no excuse’’ for behaviour that had such a negative impact on the disabled community.

Alicia ‘Friday’ Wright, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease and launched the group No Permit No Park in March, said the increased fines would make a ‘‘big difference’’.

‘‘There will be people who think it’s worth the risk because they haven’t been caught yet. But we often find that once they’ve been caught once they kind of go ‘oh OK’,’’ she told ABC Radio.

‘‘What this does mean is that police will have more incentive to issue fines ... now that it’s equivalent across the state.’’